Etsy Store Update

It might change in the future, but for now I've settled on the banner you see above as my storefront image. 

There has been much progress! Unfortunately it's all been behind the scenes... So far I've only been listing items that will be for sale as 'drafts' which on Etsy basically means that I can see it but no one else can. I want to get some prints done to make sure they look magically delicious before offering them for sale, which means that I need to find the original files (amongst the many burned CDs I have lying around), format them for printing and actually get them printed. There was a plan to at least print the ones I have already formatted (around 30) but that's been delayed due to a color problem I'm having with Photoshop. It's been saving jpgs with really high contrast and saturation. :( From what I've googled it sounds somewhat easy to fix on PC but on Mac you never know if it will work the same. 

Once I do have some of them printed, I will take pretty pictures of the prints framed and matted and on the wall, to make them oh so much more appealing. I also want to have shipping supplies on hand for when the items go live just in case people actually want to buy stuff. :P

More updates soon, thanks for reading!

Versatile Blog Award & 11 Questions Tag

Parisa over at The Nail Movement double tagged me for the 11 question tag and the versatile blogger award. Thanks Parisa!

The Versatile Rules:

• Nominate 5 fellow bloggers.
• Let them know that you have nominated them.
• Share 7 random facts about yourself.
• Thank the blogger who nominated you.
• Add the versatile blogger image to your blog post

11 Question Tag Rules:

• Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog
• Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
• You have to choose 5 people to tag and link them on the post.
• Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her.
• No tag backs.
• No stuff in the tagging section about "You are tagged if you're reading this" You actually have to tag 5 people.

Now the 11 random facts...

1. I was goth in high school.
2. I like watching other people play video games much more than I like playing them myself.
3. I LOVE TO READ. I've already read 30 books since the beginning of 2012.
4. Strawberries and avocados are the best things ever.
5. Tomatoes are gross.
6. I'm usually the youngest in my group of friends (I like to think that means that I'm mature but it probably just means that they aren't :P).
7. I have a small collection of dragon figurines.
8. I typically play volleyball 3 times a week, and would not mind doing so more.  
9. Could really go for a breakfast bagel right now, just saying.
10. There is a Weeping Angel (Doctor Who) as my wallpaper. And yes it did freak me out when I closed windows at first...
11. These two videos almost made me pee my pants with laughter:

 

 

11 Questions From Parisa for me to Answer: 

1. What/who inspired you to make a blog? My art, I'm hoping to get my name out there in the world.
2. If you could have any work of art on your nails which would you choose? I love Galaxy Nails, but haven't had the time to try it yet, so probably those.
3. Do you have any other interests besides the things featured on your blog? Well I probably answered this above but I love volleyball and reading, also movies/tv shows and music.
4. What product /collection are you looking forward to the most? I'm still waiting for my Hunger Games nail polishes to get to me! I can't wait to try them. Also anything new from NerdLacquer.
5. Favorite indie polish? NerdLacquer.
6. Do you match your manicure with your fashion? Nope, more like the other way around.
7. Do you go for cute or for classy nails? Both.
8. What is your favorite nail polish finish? Shine, I like the way that matte polish looks in pictures but I've never liked the way it looks on my own nails.
9. If you could start a blog about anything else what would it be? Actually I'd probably split up my art and my nails to separate blogs.
10. Do other people know about your blog or is it your internet secret? lol they know, whether they care is another matter!
11. Out of all the blogs you follow whose posts are you most excited about seeing? io9 definitely, it speaks to the nerd in me. :D

I nominate:

Nail Noise

Lovesick Robot

Mie's Illustrated Life

dandeliondog

Lilacs and Butterflies  

Questions for you guys to answer:

1. What is your favorite blog?
2. Which of your own posts are you most proud of?
3. And why? 
4. Who/what inspires you the most?
5. If you had to pick a favorite picture from your blog what would it be?
6. Favorite picture from someone else's blog? (Give credit!)
7. What projects are coming up on your blog?
8. What is one thing you want to do but won't because it's against social norms?
9. What's your favorite genre and why?
10. What's your computer wallpaper right now?
11. What's your favorite color?

You can probably tell I ran out of momentum there at the end... sorry!

Fire Gradient Mani

Hey there readers! I've been meaning to post more often but obviously that's been working out well. Here is what my nails look like right now. I, like many others, have been obsessed with The Hunger Games recently and this was my attempt at 'fire nails' or I guess more accurately 'fire gradient nails'.

In those above I used 2 coats Sally Hansen diamond strength nail hardener as a base coat, one coat Sinful Colors Let's Meet, one coat Pure Ice Hot Tamale (thin at the top and getting thicker toward the nail base), two more layers of Let's Meet (one starting in the middle and getting thicker toward the tip of the nail and another just covering the tip) and one coat Seche Vite Fast Dry Topcoat.

And then below I added a layer of Wet N Wild FastDry Orange and another coat of Seche Vite.

May the odds be ever in your favor!

Cute Blog Award!!!

 I got tagged for a Cute Blog Award! I've never gotten a blog award before! Thanks Crystal! :D  Everybody go check out her blog Nail Noise.

For this award you:

1. Link back to the person who awarded you.

2. Answer the award questions.

3. Tell something about yourself that you haven't told anyone on your blog yet.

4. Award as many blogs as you think are worthy of this award.

5. Make sure to let those you gave this award to know that you awarded them.

The Award Questions:

1. What is your go to makeup product?

- Black eyeliner and mascara. If I'm going to do an errand and just threw on a t-shirt and some sweatpants I'll still have my black eyeliner and mascara on. 

2. What was your favorite fashion trend of 2011?

- Well if I knew what any of them were then I might be able to pick one... :P Nail polish I guess, I know it got big last year and that's when I started my obsession. I own quite a few of those big flowers for your hair also.

3. What is your favorite dessert?

- Crème brûlée! Double points if there are strawberries. I also like that not a lot of restaurants carry it, that just makes it all the better when they do!

4. Favourite color?

- Blue. This color blue to be exact. (Yes I just used a car to swatch my favorite color.)

5. What is your middle name?

- Ann

6. What was the last song that you listened to? You Me At Six - This is the First Thing

7. Cats or dogs?

- Both.

Something about myself that you don't know:

Hmmm... well... I read the whole Hunger Games series over the span of about four days (Christmas weekend to be exact) and since then I've watched the movie trailer at least six times. I'm a little obsessed. I cannot wait for the movie to come out in March!

I think I'm so late to this that everyone has gotten this award already, so sorry if I'm tagging you again.

I tag:

NailZilla
nailtopia
Drop Dead Cute
DRINKCITRA

The Chain Nail

The Diary of a Dreamer 

Cute-tickle Nails 

Lilacs and Butterflies
dandeliondog
Mie's Illustrated Life!

High School Throwback 1

I've been really wanting to sketch lately but have not been able to find the time. So instead of a new art post, here is a throwback to a couple sketches from my first real sketchbook in high school. Enjoy.

  

There is an unfortunate streaking incident happening in the second one. It's the scanner's fault, but I'm not sure if it's just very dirty or if there's something wrong with it.

Internet Censorship Protest Black Out

Hello everyone! This is going to be a different kind of post for me.

Today as you may know or have noticed, the internet is on strike. While I don't have the time to figure out and change my blog to be blacked out, I do have the ability to link you to some important information about PIPA (Protect IP Act) and SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) which I absolutely oppose.

Here are pages about the strike:
http://sopastrike.com/strike/
http://americancensorship.org/

Here are some places you can learn more about SOPA and PIPA:
https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/sopa-pipa/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SOPA_initiative/Learn_more

Here is a list of companies that also oppose SOPA and PIPA (though there are many that aren't listed on it as well):
https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/community/

And here you can sign the petition against these acts (along with learn other ways to help the cause against internet censorship):
https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/